This release presents statistics on the use of the Internet on farms for business operations in Australia. The data were obtained from a question included in the 2007-08 Agricultural Resource Management Survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Information obtained was in respect of the year ended 30 June 2008.

A farm is a business coded to an 'agricultural' industry or a business which has indicated they undertake agricultural activities, with an estimated value of agricultural operations (EVAO) of $5,000 or more. These estimates refer to the farm's use of the Internet for business operations.

This is an electronic release of Use of the Internet on Farms, Australia. All available data is contained in the accompanying datacubes, including use of the Internet on farms by Statistical Division.

HIGHLIGHTS

In 2007-08, 66% of farms were using the Internet for business operations.

48% of farms used a broadband connection.

Use of the Internet across states and territories ranged from 74% in the Australian Capital Territory to 59% in Tasmania.

Use of the Internet on farms for business operations, by States and Territories, 2007-08

The Australian Capital Territory had the highest proportion of broadband users with 62%. Northern Territory was the second highest with 55% of farms using a broadband connection.

Tasmania had the highest non-use of the Internet at 41%. Tasmania also had the lowest proportion of broadband users with only 42%.

Farm use of dial-up and broadband, 2007-08

Use of dial-up internet connections were significantly lower than broadband connections across all States and Territories, with the average for Australia at 17%. South Australia had the highest dial-up rate with 21%.

90% of all farms with an estimated value of agricultural operations (EVAO) of $1m or more used the Internet for business operations. There was a strong relationship between farm size, as measured by EVAO, and the use of the Internet.

Use of the Internet on farms for business operations(a), by selected indicators: 2007-08

All farms

Farms using the Internet

No internet use

no.

no.

%

no.

%

States and Territories

New South Wales

44 500

28 417

64

16 083

36

Victoria

34 257

21 258

62

12 998

38

Queensland

29 192

19 637

67

9 555

33

South Australia

15 044

10 567

70

4 477

30

Western Australia

13 135

9 524

73

3 611

27

Tasmania

4 211

2 483

59

1 729

41

Northern Territory

605

435

72

^169

28

Australian Capital Territory

82

61

74

^21

26

Industry

Agriculture

Nursery and Floriculture Production

1 947

1 448

74

499

26

Mushroom and Vegetable Growing

4 562

2 390

52

2 172

48

Fruit and Tree Nut Growing

13 814

9 765

71

4 050

29

Sheep, Beef Cattle and Grain Farming

87 001

56 245

65

30 757

35

Other Crop Growing

4 915

3 490

71

1 425

29

Dairy Cattle Farming

8 793

5 814

66

2 979

34

Poultry Farming

1 284

890

69

394

31

Deer Farming

*138

*117

85

21

15

Other Livestock Farming

3 444

2 503

73

941

27

Agriculture

125 898

82 661

66

43 237

34

All other industries

15 128

9 721

64

5 407

36

EVAO

$0-$49,999

58 907

33 475

57

25 432

43

$50,000-$149,999

35 056

21 823

62

13 233

38

$150,000-$249,999

15 930

11 354

71

4 577

29

$250,000-$499,999

16 882

13 296

79

3 585

21

$500,000-$999,999

9 313

7 985

86

1 328

14

$1m or more

4 938

4 450

90

489

10

Total

141 026

92 383

66

48 644

34

^ estimate has a relative standard error of 10% to less than 25% and should be used with caution

* estimate has a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution

(a) Percentages are of all farms.

NO INTERNET USE FOR BUSINESS OPERATIONS

The map below depicts farms not using the Internet for business operations, by Statistical Division. Most smaller farms located around urban areas are less likely to use the Internet for business operations. A higher proportion of farms in remote areas use the Internet for business operations. This highlights the strong relationship between farm size, as measured by EVAO, and the use of the Internet for business operations.

ROUNDING

Where figures have been rounded, discrepancies may occur between the sum of the components and the total. Proportions have been calculated using unrounded data.

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Tim Landrigan on Perth (08) 9360 5104.